12.27.2010

Books on marathon/triathlon training

I got a bunch of great books for Christmas to help me kick ass in all my big goals for 2011:

The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer: I'm using this in conjunction with a few other guides to plan for my first marathon. There are some great things about it (like discussions of the mental and emotional aspects of training etc) but it really is a book for people with very minimal running experience who are only focused on getting through a marathon - I'm not totally adhering to the plan because it only includes running (and I know I personally need my bootcamp class once or twice a week to keep me un-injured and my body & mind balanced), and I think that even with only 3 months of running under my belt I'm a little ahead of the plan. But I would still consider this a must-read for any first marathon runner.

Training Plans for Multisport Athletes: Your Essential Guide to Triathlon, Duathlon, XTERRA, Ironman, and Endurance Racing: I'm training for my first half marathon in Jan, my first marathon in May, and my first Ironman 70.3 in August - I've used this guide, along with a few others and the advice of more seasoned athletes, to create a training plan for the next 8 months - so far so good. It has a wide variety of plans that take into account your goals, your current fitness, your time frame, etc.